H&M Closes Stores in South Africa Amid Protests Over ‘Monkey’ Shirt
13, 2018
The Swedish clothing company H&M temporarily closed several stores in South Africa on Saturday
after protests erupted over an image in its online store that critics said was racist.
temporarily closed all stores in the area," H&M said in an emailed statement on Saturday.
that Out of concern for the safety of our employees and customers we have
The image touched off an uproar on social media this week,
and on Saturday demonstrators representing South Africa’s second-largest opposition party, Economic Freedom Fighters, gathered at H&M locations across the country.
H&M apologized for the image on Monday, and then again on Tuesday, saying it had removed the image and stopped selling the sweatshirt.
" he said. that We cannot allow the humiliation of black people to continue,
